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American record label
Sparrow Records is a
Christian music record label and a division of
Universal Music Group.
History
Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by
Billy Ray Hearn, then
artists and repertoire (A&R) director at
Myrrh Records.
[1]
Barry McGuire was the first artist signed to the record, followed quickly by
John Michael Talbot and his brother
Terry,
Janny Grein, and
Annie Herring of
2nd Chapter of Acts; all of whom released albums with Sparrow in May of that year.
[2] Sparrow Records rose to prominence with the signing of singer, songwriter, Contemporary Christian musician, and minister
Keith Green. Within a year of his 1976 signing by Sparrow, Green was the top selling Christian artist in America.[
citation needed]
Purchased by
Thorn EMI in 1992, Sparrow's parent underwent a
demerger four years later to become the EMI Group,
[3]
[4] and the label is now part of the
Capitol Christian Music Group.
[5]
As of 2009, Sparrow's artists include
Britt Nicole,
Chris Tomlin,
Mandisa,
Matt Redman,
Matthew West,
Steven Curtis Chapman and
Switchfoot. Since 1996, a popular production of Sparrow Records has been the annual
WOW Hits
contemporary Christian music series. In 1998, the WOW franchise then added the annual
WOW Gospel series of albums. The
WOW Worship series was introduced in 1999, an annual compilation of the greatest hits in
contemporary worship music.[
citation needed]
Roster
- Source:
Artist List
Former
-
2nd Chapter of Acts (disbanded)
-
Above the Golden State
-
Susan Ashton (active, unsigned)
-
Audrey Assad (active, independent)
-
Avalon (active, with Red Street Records)
-
Margaret Becker (active, with
Kingsway Music)
-
Bellarive
-
Dan Bremnes
-
Steve Camp (active, unsigned)
-
Michael Card (active, unsigned)
-
Marcos Vidal (active, unsigned)
-
Carman (deceased)
-
Steven Curtis Chapman (active, with
Reunion Records)
-
City Harbor
-
Daryl Coley (deceased)
-
David Crowder*Band (disbanded, had moved to
sixstepsrecords)
-
Danyew
-
Delirious? (disbanded)
-
Bethany Dillon (active)
-
Dogs of Peace (active)
-
Earthsuit (disbanded)
-
The Elms (disbanded)
-
Kirk Franklin (active, with
GospoCentric Records)
-
Peter Furler (active, independent)
-
Keith Green (deceased)
-
Steve Green (active, unsigned)
-
Rickey Grundy, (active, independent)
-
Charlie Hall (active, with
sixstepsrecords)
-
Matt Hammitt
-
Tramaine Hawkins
-
Tim Hughes (active, with
Survivor Records)
-
Kari Jobe (active, with
Capitol Christian Music Group)
-
Jump5 (disbanded)
-
Phil Keaggy (active)
-
Donald Lawrence
-
Luminate
-
Mandisa (deceased)
-
Barry McGuire (active, unsigned)
-
Geoff Moore and the Distance (disbanded)
-
Michael W. Smith (active, with
Rocketown Records)
-
Needtobreathe (active, with
Atlantic Records)
-
Newsboys (active, with
Fair Trade Services)
-
Christy Nockels (active, with
sixstepsrecords)
-
Out of the Grey (on hiatus)
-
Twila Paris (active, with
Koch Records)
-
Charlie Peacock (active, independent)
-
Marty Raybon
-
Matt Redman (active, with
Integrity Music)
-
Resurrection Band
-
Sanctus Real (active, with
Fair Trade Services)
-
Sarah Reeves
-
Samestate
-
Robbie Seay Band (active, unsigned)
-
Something Like Silas
-
Soulfire Revolution
- Aaron Spiro (active, unsigned)
-
Kristian Stanfill (active, with
sixstepsrecords)
-
Starfield (active, independent)
-
Switchfoot (active, with
lowercase people records) (Switchfoot still has a distribution agreement with Sparrow Records)
-
Russ Taff (active, with Springhouse Records)
-
John Michael Talbot (active, with Troubadour for the Lord)
-
Steve Taylor
- Dave Thrush (active, independent)
-
Chris Tomlin (active, with
sixstepsrecords)
-
Michelle Tumes (active, with
EMI CMG)
- James Vincent
-
The Waiting (active, independent)
-
Sheila Walsh (active)
-
Matthew Ward (active, independent)
-
Matthew West
-
Lisa Whelchel
-
White Heart
-
Josh Wilson (active on
Black River Christian)
-
Deniece Williams (last worked, with
Shanachie Records)
-
ZOEgirl (disbanded)
-
Danniebelle Hall (deceased)
-
West Angeles Church of God in Christ Mass Choir and Congregation ("Saints in Praise" series)
-
The Archers (musical group)
-
Jimi Cravity
-
Kristene DiMarco
-
Colton Dixon (with
19 Recordings)
-
Shawn McDonald
-
NF (with
Capitol Records)
-
Britt Nicole (with
Capitol Records)
-
Christy Nockels
-
Nichole Nordeman
-
Kristian Stanfill
-
The Young Escape
Compilations
- Firewind: A Contemporary Dramatic Musical (1976)
- Christmas (1988)
-
Passion: Awakening (2010)
Sparrow projects
See also
References
-
^ Mount, Daniel J. (2005).
A City on a Hilltop? The History of Contemporary Christian Music. pp. 48–50, 53. Archived from
the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
-
^ Cusic, Don (1990).
The Sound of Light: A History of Gospel Music. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p. 159.
ISBN
978-0-87972-497-9.
-
^
"Thorn EMI moves into gospel music with US purchase". Independent. September 30, 1992.
Archived from the original on May 24, 2022.
-
^
"Vote solid for Thorn demerger". Independent. August 17, 1996.
Archived from the original on May 24, 2022.
-
^ Hendershot, Heather (2004). "Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music? Christian Music and the Secular Marketplace".
Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture.
Chicago,
Illinois:
University of Chicago Press. p. 56.
ISBN
0-226-32679-9.
External links
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